I've read several articles recently that stated dementia alone is not a cause to stop driving. In fact there was a large % of doctors who had conducted tests. there were a number of considerations -- but one that was important ---- as in dh case -- they can drive fine but are not able to go someplace new without direction. There was a lot more but hard to type. Best answer was to utilize one of the senior driving tests. I think AAA gives them but there are others. Has anyone used these to make the determination?
When my husband got to a certain point, his doctor told him he could only drive if I was with him. He was fine with that because he was getting home alright but was having increased problems finding his way home. Plus, he remember the day his dad came home, after being gone for hours, terrified because he could not find his way home (his mom had told us).
I do know many states will give the test. I know others have mentioned it but can't remember where it was done.
I get a lighter cast put on tomorrow then I'll wear that for 4 weeks before Dr makes new x-rays. GD is driving tomorrow because it's in another town, but after this I will start driving again, I think. Dr said Ok earlier with this cast I have, but any twist to the wrist is extremely painful so I decided to be safe than sorry.
Have fought with dh over driving, he thinks since this surgery he can do all driving now. Tried to explain -- but, as you know, drs don't know anything :) He flat out refused to take any type of mature driving exam and the ones online are vision, street signs etc, which he has no problem with. I had hoped he would consider a Mature Driving Class, but no.
His truck needs to go in but he refuses -- which is basically his way of saying he doesn't know what to do. So that needs to be put on the calendar too.
Got my ekg back yesterday, nothing really bad but have to have some further testing. Probably just my age and asthma, plus the stress of living with AD.
Have you considered having his doctor send a letter to the DMV that he needs his driving assessed? That way they will send an official letter to him suspending his license until he passes his evaluation. That has worked for some. If the doctor won't, I guess you could asking them not to tell him who or maybe a family member.
Good to hear you are healing. I had pitty edema for years so I finally got a doctor to check it out. An Echo showed my heart is normal. Doctor thinks it is stress and/or my lower back putting pressure on nerves. Just glad my heart was good.
What Charlotte said was what worked for me--the doctor had DMV come out to assess DH's driving. I drove him over to the nearby place where they would do the assessment--after they chatted with him for a few moments (he was obviously ditsy) they asked to see his license, and just didn't give it back. They didn't even have him drive the car. Told him that because of his health he would have to stop driving for now...but if it changed, they would be glad to come out and assess him again so he could get his license back. They were kind, tactful, and obviously knew exactly how to say the right little fibs so he would not be upset.
The only other thing I had to do was sneak away the car keys off his key ring--he forgot he didn't have a driver's license anymore, and went out to get milk and bread a couple times while I was at work and didn't realize.
You want a test by an Occupational Therapist with expertise in neurological conditions. You need to test for more than technical driving ability. How well do they do with distractions. Will they crash the car because they were busy fiddling with the radio (almost happened with us). Do they drive angry. Will they decide to not stop for a red light because they are impatient. The DMV does not check for these problems unless they offer a special exam.
Even if they are driving OK now they might suddenly not drive OK tomorrow. Plus they can more easily adapt to alternative means of travel while they are higher functioning (bus, uber, taxi) than later on. My wife could take the bus by herself for a few years. She might miss her stop but was content to wait until the bus reached the stop on its return trip.
That is another good idea, Paul. I know that OT at one of our local hospitals does that. When I friend of mine (not demented) had some eyesight problems and then eye surgery leaving her with an eye patch on one side, she had OT give her a driving evaluation to make sure she was OK to drive with one eye.
All good ideas. I may ask my OT next week. The truth is, he'd prefer to never leave the house but if I have to go someplace that's where we have the problem. I have a dr appt Thursday with my regular dr, I am going to let him drive, with me. One, so I can access how he is now going to someplace he used to be very familiar with, info for the dr at his next appt. Two, I had not anticipated this extra appt, and while this new brace is more comfortable it's also more flexible, making it easier to get hurt. I have started OT, but I am wired together and still in the healing process, any unexpected movement in the wrist quite painful. When I am doing my range of motion exercises I know what's going to hurt, but if I do something without thinking I instinctively grab my wrist. Our weather is good right now, daffodils up but not blooming yet, roses and other plants all budded out -- sorry Wolf :) I thought I would crawl into a hole and stay there with this everlasting winter, snow, ice, a few ok days, then starts all over again. And so many gray days with no sun!! So depressing!! They say no more snow but we're entering tornado season - in truth I'd rather have those than weeks of never seeing the sun. All the animals are shedding so I know spring is coming.
I'm making Chicken Enchilada soup in a bit. Actually, dh is making it, I just stand there and tell him what to do next. Drives me crazy, LOL, I get so impatient waiting for him to do each step. We need to change our big clock, (DST) but have to get the big ladder in to get it down and back up. Think I'll just add an hour for a few more weeks :)
That is what wore me out when my husband was driving - having to give him step by step instructions where to turn because he could not remember how to get anywhere. I imagine the same frustration with letting him cook.